First hiss... Wait, was it actually a hiss?

[Stargazer735]

While handling my BP tonight I had a rather odd experience. He never hisses at me when I reach in to pick him up and he'll only ball up if I make sudden movements. He is otherwise a rather friendly and curious little guy! Come to think of it, he has never hissed at me before!

Have you ever noticed a particular behavior/interest with your BP? Mine seems to be interested with my nose from time to time. Maybe he thinks it's food? I'd say 1/2 the time I handle him, he'll gently approach my nose, give it a good 'wiff' with his tongue, pause, and then continue to investigate the other fascinating areas of my arms, like the inside of my elbows or possibly the spaces between my fingers.

So tonight I was handling him and he approached my nose as 'normal' and then he paused and let out what sounded like a brief little hiss. His head was not in a striking position. Rather, his neck was elongated, like he was interested in continuing his investigation, which he promptly did. It was as if he thought nothing of it, almost like a, "Hello! How's it going?" before continuing on his way. It was rather obvious that he didn't feel threatened, but even if he did, he got over it immediately. Nevertheless, I put him back in his tank, just in case I was misinterpreting the sign.

Part of me would really like to believe that it was a friendly greeting (a friend's dog used to do that with growling, especially when you rubbed her belly, which she would always offer whenever she made eye contact with you.) However, the logical side of me says that his brain probably lacks the capacity to do so. Rather, it may not have been a threatening hiss, but possibly an attempt to dislodge something from his nostrils. Maybe a tiny piece of bark from one of the objects in his habitat? Maybe even just a sigh?

Anyway, after running a search on here (and having seen some other odd behavior from other snakes,) I figured I would throw this one out there to see if anyone has observed a snake let out a small hiss but with body language that would indicate curiosity/exploration.

How about a picture of him, just for fun? His name is Sebastian and he's a blue-eyed leucistic, born in 2014 - I got him in the late summer at just under 100 grams. He's about 2 and a half feet now. Still need to weigh him.

[IamAtticus]

My baby ball python used to hiss at me when I reached into his enclosure, never striked just tried to scare me off, after a few weeks of handling he's comfortable about being held. He probably thought you were a predator or felt threatened at the time but you said he got over it so maybe it's just an anomaly if it keeps occurring he's probably going through shed or just is in a bad mood. He's beautiful! Hope everything's okay.

[SnakeBalls]

When my guy showed up he hissed when I opened the bag up

[George1994]

Mine has hissed on a few occasions, one time he wasn't happy when I went to remove his water and struck. if they hiss it is best to leave them alone, they may be going into shed or just not in the mood for handling. But yeah, pretty normal for them to have a hiss at ya every now and again.

[Sirensong26]

My boy has never hissed at me in the entire duration of my ownership of him. When I was helping out at the pet store one time, I had a butter hiss at me when he was in shed and i was trying to get him out to clean the cage. But that's it.

[AlexisFitzy]

I don't think he was hissing at you at all. My bumblebee Bubo makes all sorts of noises when I handle him. He just huffs and puffs lol. It just sounds like he's blowing air out of his nose. Idk why he does it but he's a goofball anyway being a bumblebee so yours may be goofy like mine we just have verbal snakes :p

[michaelt]

my albino girl does the same thing when I touch her in her enclosure.. once shes out shes fine

[Reinz]

You have a gorgeous guy there.

Thanks for the pic.

[Borgpython]

Hmm never heared my Bp hiss, what's it sound like ? Anything like a cobra hiss ?

[DVirginiana]

Great looking snake!

Mine will sometimes make really faint little huffy noises while she's being handled, but it's not really a hiss.